Nothing but Trouble
by Roslin Fan
Summary: AU: Bill's a PI who just got more trouble than he bargained for...


I knew the first time I saw her, the dame would be nothing but trouble. She waltzed into my office like the heroine from one of those flicks, or the damsel in distress, whatever. I see a lot of dames in my line of work. And they all want something. Usually protection. I don't care as long as they pay me, and I can keep my nose clean-and my hide intact.

I do okay. I'm not starving, anyway. But I could always do with more business. I wasn't sure I wanted this woman's business, though.

"Evenin' ma'am. What can I do for you?"

She looked at me a moment. Her eyes were an interesting color that changed with the light. They looked grey at the door, but as she stepped toward my desk, they looked greener. They suited the red in her hair. "You're the detective?"

"That's what it says on the door." I was probably harsher, than I should be with a potential client. But stupid questions tend to annoy me. "Name's Bill Adama," I added trying to salvage the situation. I put out my hand and she took it.

"Laura Roslin."

"And you're in trouble, Ms. Roslin." It was a statement not a question. Laura was smarter than I originally thought. She didn't answer it.

"It's Tom Zarek."

_Zarek._ I should have turned her out of my office immediately. Thomas Zarek was the worst scum in the city. Only he looked perfectly legitimate and had Mayor Adar in his pocket-and most of the police force too. That's part of the reason I left the force, but that's another story.

I didn't turn her out, though. "Tell me about it."

She told me her story. She had been working for Mayor Adar-I got the feeling there was more to it than that but let it go. Anyway, she was working for the Mayor, when she overheard a phone conversation between that prick Adar and Tom Zarek. It sounded like someone was poking around and needed to be taken care of. She left the mayor's office, faking a headache and came straight to me.

Laura was old enough to know the score. She was still in her prime. Gorgeous, actually, but she wasn't one of Adar's typical young bimbos. This was a woman with class.

"Do you know who they were talking about?"

"No, but I'm afraid it might be me."

"You?"

"Yes. I was working on Rich-I mean Mayor Adar's books, and I found something odd. I asked him about it, and I got a bad feeling about his answer."

"When was this?"

"Yesterday."

"What did you do after you talked to Dick?"

"Dick?"

"Sorry. Mayor Adar."

"Nothing. I left it alone." Only she didn't. She may have stopped poking around, but she was wearing her concern all over her face. Adar couldn't take any chances.

"Did anyone see you come here?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"You shouldn't go home tonight."

"I guess not."

She was a trooper. I'll give her that. As I said, she was old enough to know the score. But I wondered if it was more than that. Something must have happened in her life. Otherwise, why would a nice, intelligent woman like Laura end up mixed up with Adar. She looked like she should be working with children, or something. A teacher maybe.

"I'm not sure we should leave here tonight. A lot of open space out there, and there's only one of me."

"You'd take a bullet for me, Mr. Adama?"

"Yeah." I was surprised how fast I responded-and how much I meant it.

"Well," she started, glancing behind her. "I see you have a couch. Do you have a bathroom?"

I showed her where my bathroom was. I even showed her the mini-fridge and the cabinet. Okay, so there were some nights I didn't go home. Not much fun going home to an empty house.

Laura used the bathroom, and I got some food that would pass for dinner. She re-emerged looking more composed. Maybe because we had something resembling a plan. I got the sense the dame liked having a plan.

"You made us dinner?"

I shrugged. Laura was acting like I was a world class chef. Carolanne would have scoffed at my attempt at dinner. "I just threw together what I had."

"Well, it's nice. I'm a little hungry."

We sat at my desk, digging in. She was more than a little hungry. She probably hadn't eaten since lunch. A quick look at my watch told me how long that likely was.

"What are we gonna do, Bill?"

I had to think about that a moment. I thought about it a little when I was preparing dinner.

"Is there anything for you here?"

"I don't understand."

"What if you left town? Started over somewhere else."

Laura looked down a moment, then back at me. "I could do that, I guess."

"You wouldn't be leaving anyone behind?"

She shook her head. "No. Not anymore."

She'd lost someone. I should have known it sooner. "Okay, then we'll leave tomorrow."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"What about you? Your business here."

"Zarek and Adar make it so I don't get much business anyway."

Laura smiled. "Where do we go?"

"I know a guy. He'll get us two tickets to nowhere."

"You trust him?"

"Yeah. We fought in the war together. I'd trust him with my life-and yours. Anyway, he owes me."

"What about money?"

"I have some. You'll have to get a job, though."

"Maybe I'll go back to teaching. I do miss the classroom and working with children."

"They're always looking for good teachers, Laura."

"I never said I was a good one, Bill."

I shrugged. "Some things I can just tell."

We finished our dinner. I told Laura she should sleep on the couch. I'd sleep in my chair. She looked like she wanted to protest, but I reminded her I had the gun, and should keep watch in case Zarek's thugs came for us. I figured they'd already paid her home a visit. I didn't have the heart to tell her she could never go home again, but I sensed she knew anyway.

Laura lay down on the sofa, and I sat on the chair at my desk, putting my feet up on the desk. It wasn't so bad. I'd had quite a few naps in that position. I watched Laura as she struggled to fall asleep. She made the cutest sounds. And when she finally fell asleep, she snored softly. That was the last sound I heard as I drifted off.

I don't know how long I was out before I heard a scream. My eyes darted open, afraid we'd been discovered.

There was no-one in the office but the two of us. No sense of danger. I moved to the couch to comfort Laura.

She had sat up, so I sat next to her, wrapping my arms around her.

"Bill?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"It was a terrible dream."

"It's over."

I kissed her forehead. She moaned. I kissed her nose. She wiggled it. I kissed her mouth. She put her hands behind my head, pulling me closer to her. I kissed her deeper. I loved the way she felt and tasted.

We came up for air.

"Bill?"

"Yeah?"

"They could come at anytime."

I kissed her collarbone. "We'd be dead anyway."

"I guess it doesn't matter, then."

I started unbuttoning her blouse. "Nope."

Laura spoke my language. She pulled my shirt up and I helped her lift it over my head. It landed on the floor. Her blouse following. Then her bra.

We stood to take our pants off. Then landed on the couch in a heap. I pulled her on top of me. I liked a woman on top, and something told me Laura would suit that position perfectly. She didn't disappoint.

She rode me, kissing my neck and face. I captured her mouth with mine, as I held and rubbed her breasts. She kept control of our pace, and I rose my hips to meet her. We were perfect.

She came apart and it was beautiful. I spilled into her, and collapsed into the couch. She followed me down. It was a tight squeeze for two, but we made it work. She stroked my face and kissed me lightly. Then she rested her head on my chest. The soft snored told me she'd fallen asleep. I wrapped my arms around her back, holding her to me, and drifted off.

We'd leave the city the next morning. It didn't matter where we went. Laura Roslin had my heart. Like I said, the dame was trouble.


End file.
